4 Months Down! 9-23-13

Halee & Sister Pratt are in the same zone.  They knew each other pre-missions.

Halee & Wynetta

Hermana Quiroz and Hermana Eggett.  The spanish sister in her ward.

Hey family,
It's been three weeks here in Ft. Dodge and things have been going pretty well. I am as of yesterday... 4 months out. Crazy... sometimes it feels long and sometimes it flies by. This week has been one of those times that have felt long. I'm not going to lie, I struggled this week but everyone has been pretty supportive. It was very hard for me to focus on the work. All I could think about was how you all were doing. I wanted to be there so bad. I got a priesthood blessing and the Lord helped me get by this week and helped me to stay focused on the work. He blessed us tremendously. It was also very nice to see the pictures from the viewing and the service. I was there in spirit. Such a great sight to see all the grandsons carrying the casket. I love that. Such a tender sight to see.
 We were fortunate enough to have 3 church tours this week! If you don't know what a church tour is, ask the missionaries to take you on one! They are the coolest. And they are not just for investigators. Members should experience them as well! My favorite church tour to give is the plan of Salvation. It's way cool. We gave one to an investigator named Justin, a less-active member named roberta, and another investigator named Belinda (Libbys mom). They all went great and the spirit was so strong. Still no set baptismal dates, but its coming. The mission has challenged every companionship to get a baptism each transfer, so we are really trying to focus on who can be baptized this transfer. Nothing yet, but we have faith in MIRACLES.
I'm getting really excited to watch general conference! Honestly, I've never been so excited for general conference before, but I'm ready to receive some revelation!!

I don't have a lot of crazy stories this week so I apologize for such a short letter, but know that I love you all and you are in my prayers every single day! I want you know that Miracles do happen, you just have to have faith. Mormon 9:18-20.... God is unchanging and miracles will never cease if we just have FAITH! I know this is true without a doubt. I love you guys more than words can express. Stay awesome and thanks for your continual support, it means more than you know. LOVE YOU!

Sister Halee Rogers

SHOUTOUT LIST

Ali..... Dude... your letter freakn rocked! Seriously, I can't explain how happy it made me!!

Amy Sorensen.... Your letter was as precious to me as the sorcerers stone was to Harry.

Annie Smoot... Holy Cow dude, I have never laughed so hard while reading a letter! I miss you!

Halee's tribute to Grandpa Rogers

Halee's last visit with her Grandpa Rogers on May 21st, 2013, the day before she left to enter the MTC!

Halee's Baptism.  Always supported by Grandma & Grandpa.

Having fun with Grandpa..Halee dressed up as 

 "Grandpa's High school Sweetheart"  (noted on the badge she is wearing) 

with her fake teeth and nerd glasses at an event.

Hey everyone!
Just a quick update on me and the area of dirty dodge! We had the wonderful blessing of having 2 investigators at church this week! Bill and Kirah... one of which I met in a doctor's office waiting room! We taught him earlier in the week and so he came to church and loved it! Bill accepted the baptismal invite and is coming again next week! Throughout the week, it was pretty slow. A LOT of investigators bailed on appointments so that kinda sucked, but it all worked out. I had to take a two hour defensive driving course this week because I had two tickets before I left on my mission so I had to get cleared to drive. It was pretty lame but I should be cleared now so thats good! haha I spoke in church this sunday and it went pretty well! The other Hermanas that spoke with me did a very very good job! The spirit was so strong and I think the ward is starting to get excited about missionary work! This week we also had a mission tour zone conference with Elder Robert C. Gay of the 1st quorum of the Seventy! It was amazing!!! I learned a lot! And then I had the privilege to be interviewed by him. It went great... He got to know me a little bit and I got to ask him a few questions so it was a great experience.

Last night I got a call from President Jensen informing me that My Grandpa Rogers had passed away... I knew as soon as I picked up the phone and saw who was calling, exactly what it was about because its not often that you get a call from your mission president at 8 pm. He told me I should call my family. So I got to speak to my parents and my Grandma Rogers. That was a very nice thing to be able to do. I have a lot of great memories of my Grandpa... BY FAR the best memory I have is what my family calls "The Ding-Ding Powder Incident." hahah If you don't know what I'm referring to ask my mom or my sister Ali, they will tell you. and yes, its probably exactly what your thinking it is. hahaha Other memories I have are Grandpa singing "WHo let the Dogs Out" and the barking "WHO WHO WHO WHO WHO!" ha And Grandpa Rogers always said "Don't take any wooden nickels!" In fact thats what he told me the day I said goodbye to him in the hospital the day before I left on my mission. He also always told us kids that "Sh**, Damn and Hell" aren't considered swear words! hahaha I always loved his sometimes inappropriate sense of humor! He was the only one that could get away with it! ha I like to remember watching him and Grandma on Family Fued saying, "How bout the Duke John Wayne?!" haha Oh and I can never forget giving him a hug and a kiss everytime I left their house. He called me Hay-Hay... :) Little things and little memories are what I treasure most about him. He is the biggest fighter I know! Being 20 years old, I have never experienced someone close to me die before and I've never been to a funeral. And I wish I could have been there yesterday with all my family to watch him go... but I decided a long time ago that my testimony and the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and the power of temple sealings would carry me through whenever it happened. Yes, I cried a lot last night and I am going to miss Grandpa very very much... but I know that he's up there in the spirit paradise probably teaching his buddies John Wayne and  Buffalo Bill Cody about the restored gospel. And once theyre converted they are all gonna go paint the mountains together! haha I'm not worried about Grandpa he is in a great place. It's my family down here that I keep thinking about. People that were a lot closer to him than I was.. people like my Grandma and My Dad and his sisters. Cling upon the hope that comes through Jesus Christ to help make it easier. In Mosiah 16:8-9 it puts it perfectly,

"But there is a ressurection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea a light that is endless that can never be darkened; yea and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."

I love you all very very much. This week has been very overwhelming but I'm doing great and the Lord is blessing me. I wish I could be with you all at home right now during this time. Tell everyone that I love them. Stay strong and as Grandpa always said, "Don't Take any wooden nickels!" Or just sing a song he liked to sing... "She's got freckles on her butt... she's pretty!" :)

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Love, Sister Halee Rogers

SHOUTOUT LIST

Mitchelann... your letter rocked! I'm so glad you are staying strong in the gospel and was so glad to hear that you are going to the temple this week!!!!! Also I loved your decorated envelope!

Pope Family.... Seriously your letters are always the funniest to read! I love ALL the pictures! LOVE YOU!

Ist Week down in new area- Ft. Dodge

Seydou from Nigeria.  

Hola from the blessed town of Fort Dodge... or as locals call it "Dirty Dodge".... hahaha i'm seriously though. The only terms I have heard when referring to fort dodge are Dirty Dodge and Double-D... hahaha yikes! Welp... I got my first week down! And I'm still alive and well, so that is great! We got a new investigator this week... his name is steven! We were tracting on thursday and he rode up to us on his bicycle and said "Hey, are yall teachin about the bible?" We said yep, we sure are! He looked at the Book of Mormon in my hands and said... well that there is a blue bible... So we started telling him about the Book of Mormon, and he goes, "Oh yeah! Ive read that before! I loved reading about all the wars and dissensions between the nephites and the lamanites... Oh and those jaredites.. they were so cool!" hahaha I'm not even lying, thats what he said! He also told us that he had moved so he lost his other book of mormon, and he wanted a new one. we set up an appointment with him later that night to teach him more. It just so happened that thursday night, Sister Jensen, President Jensen's wife was coming down to work with us for the night! So, Sister king and I and Sister Jensen went to teach Steven. Instead of teaching him the restoration we felt impressed to teach the Doctrine of Christ. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted eagerly! He even said, "SO when can we get this done? One week? Two?" hahahaha we told him to pray about a date and he was eager to do so!! He didnt come to church this week, but hopefully next week! I'm really excited!
We have also been meeting with this less-active woman named Roberta. She is basically an investigator though. She doesn't know much and so we teach her like she is an investigator. The past three lessons we have had with her have been incredible! She holds a lot of anger in her heart from past experiences and doesn't really feel that God is aware of her. SO we initially taught her about the Atonement, then we showed her the Finding Faith in Christ Video, and then we showed her the Restoration video and taught her about the restoration and how the Book of Mormon can strengthen us. We shared with her Moroni 7:41 and told her how we can see the hope in Christ that she still has after going everything that she has gone through. The spirit was so strong in all of those lessons and she is really starting to take big steps forward. You can already see how much her heart is softening! Its so cool!!! I love the spirit so much!!!
Also... Libby came to church this sunday!! She absolutely loved it! She kept introducing herself as "Sister Marnach... future missionary." hahahah It was the cutest thing!!! She's da best! And she wears her new ctr ring around everywhere she goes!
This week at district meeting... I gave a training on the Doctine of Christ. I used lots of sports analogies and connected all the points of the DOC to different aspects of sports. I thought it went pretty well! haha The main point was to help others come up "clutch" in their life through the DOC.
Good news! I finished the book of Alma! Whuddupppp... finally! It was so good! Moroni is the freakn bombbbb.
Today during my studies, I was reading in Preach My Gospel and this line really stuck out to me, so i want to share with all of you!

"The attitude you have toward your mission experience is a reflection of your love towards your Heavenly Father and His Son and your respect for the priesthood."

BOOM! Pretty bold line there. But it is so true! It really made me kind of check myself... and seeing the rewards of the Holy Ghost and helping others come unto Christ.. I can honestly say with real intent that I LOVE my mission. It has changed me. I am beginning to develop Charity with the help of the Spirit and with the help of the Atonement. It is amazing. I am feeling pure joy as I recognize everyone around me to be my brothers and sisters. I love it! I'm still working on loving weekly planning, but other than that... I LOVE IT! haha I love the Lord. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. And I know that his Atonement is real. He is the foundation, and His Atonement is what changes people. I try my hardest everyday to remember that!

ALSO.... I just got a call from the Assistant to the President... This week we have a Mission Tour. President Jensen and his wife, along with the Assistants and Elder Gay from the Quorm of the Seventy are coming to speak to the mission. Elder Gay is interviewing FOUR missionaries after the conference... Assistant Van Woerkam just notified me that I will be one of the four missionaries being interviewd by Elder Gay this week...... HOLY CRAP!!!!! Yikes, I'm excited but nervous!! It'll be good though! I'm pretty pumped... but now I have to dress and look really good to impress! haha!


Well yall, I love you so much! And think about you every single day! And I pray for yall every single day as well! To have your support means so much! Thank you for all you do!!! 

Love, 
Sister Halee Rogers

SHOUT OUT LIST

Mom... you are the greatest person ever!!!!! Homade bread and two new bags?!?!?!? I am so so so so grateful to have such a wonderful mom like you! THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU!

Hello From Fort Dodge Iowa! 9-3-2013

Investigator Clint and family in Mt. Vernon before being transferred.

Halee's new companion Sister King.

Sister King and Sister Rogers.

New family they are teaching in Fort Dodge.

Halee loves Libby.

They like to gangsta pose!

Hey there yall!
SO... I guess the news yall have been waiting to hear is where am i?? Welp... I am now currently on the complete opposite of the mission from where I was in a town called Fort Dodge... It's pretty cool here, just trying to get used to it. I really miss Mt. Vernon, but I know that i am here for a reason! This town is little sketchy but that just means theres more work to be done! I can't baptize anyone in the celestial kingdom...I gotta hang out in outer darkness for a while if i wanna do that!!! haha But anyways, I'm starting to like this area a lot. My new companion's name is Sister King. She is 22 years old and is from Arkansas and also south Jordan, Utah. She's been out almost 8 months. She was Sister Murphy's MTC companion! She's pretty cool! We are pretty much COMPLETE OPPOSITES, but thats alright cause we are making it work and we have the Holy Ghost helping us! So its pretty darn sweet. We have a lot of investigators over here, but just to tell you about my favorites so far... haha.  We are teaching a family of 4. Their name is the Marnachs and they are seriously the BEST PEOPLE EVER!!!! They have a 9 year old daughter named Libby, and she is just a character, i love her! She reminds me of Emmee so much in the way she acts!!! She calls me her homey slice and we take gangster pictures together! haha We stopped by their house around 8:30 last night and Libby comes running out yelling "Are we gonna have a lesson?? i wanna have a lesson!!!" It was the best thing ever. Then her and her brother Mikey run into the house and come out with lawn chairs so that we can sit down and have a lesson. Their Mom, Belinda, had been trying to get them to bed so we had to make our lesson quick because Libby told her Momo that she wasn't waking up in the morning unless she let them have a lesson with us! IT WAS AWESOME! They are seriously the cutest. So then, while I was sharing a scripture.. Libby cuts me off and says, "You know what? I'm actually really glad that the world isn't perfect. I've always thought that." It was so sweet! She wants to get baptized so bad! I can't wait! Their whole family has a baptismal date for September 21st! So I'm super duper stoked! The other investigator that we have been teaching is a guy named Patrick. He is from Nigeria! He's way cool and totally wants to get baptized!

This area definitely has a lot of potential! And I am so excited to be a part of it! My new district is way awesome too! We have three sets of missionaries in our ward! Two spanish Hermanas, and our zone leaders. Elder Tall and Elder Steele... Ali, I believe you know Elder Tall's sister Chelsea?? I dont know... but they are way cool as well! The members are not very missionary minded at all here, but that will soon change!  Sister King and I live with the Bishop which is way sweet! Cause they are loaded and so we live in their basement! And its also good cause we dont live in the ghetto sketchy part of Fort Dodge.

Anyways... So pretty much this week has been going really great! I'm starting to adjust to the new area and things are looking up!

The Book of Mormon is SO AMAZING!!!!! Any spare time I have I long to read from it.

I love you all! You are the best! Stay classy!
Love, Sister Rogers


No shoutout list this week